VZCZCXRO8467
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1562/01 2390640
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260640Z AUG 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2589
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAS-ZD/DACS-ZK//
RUEAHQA/CSAF WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
RHMFIUU/CMC WASHINGTON DC
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC//POLAD//
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 7283
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 4272
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4125
RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 5619
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4039
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2606

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001562 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS BBG 
STATE FOR NEA, NEA/IPA, NEA/PPD 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE, SIT ROOM 
NSC FOR ABRAMS 
CMC WASHINGTON DC FOR POLAD 
 
JERUSALEM ALSO FOR ICD 
LONDON FOR HKANONA AND POL - TSOU 
PARIS ALSO FOR POL 
ROME FOR MFO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAL KWBG KPAO IS
SUBJECT: JERUSALEM MEDIA REACTION (8/26): A First Step towards Full 
Release of all Palestinian Prisoners? 
 
------------- 
Main Stories: 
------------- 
The three dailies lead with news about the huge popular reception 
organized on August 25 in the Presidential Compound in Ramallah for 
the 199 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails.  Carrying 
large, above-the-fold photos of the released prisoners with 
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, the dailies 
report that Abbas confirmed at the reception that the Palestinians 
want peace and that peace will be achieved only if all prisoners are 
released.  The dailies report that the released prisoners also 
visited the tomb of the late Yasser Arafat. 
 
All the dailies highlight news about the visit of the U.S. Secretary 
of State, Condoleezza Rice, to the region on August 25. They report 
that in her meetings with Palestinians and Israelis in Jerusalem, 
Rice confirmed the Bush administration's commitment to achieving a 
two-state solution.  The Palestinian Chief Negotiator, Ahmed Qureia, 
stressed that the continuing Israeli settlement activities, the 
establishment of walls, the erection of checkpoints, and the West 
Bank closures will not lead to peace. 
 
The dailies also front-page news of the Fatah Central Committee's 
preparations to hold their sixth General Conference.  The dailies 
report that PA President Abbas held three meetings on August 23 and 
24 in Ramallah and announced on August 25 that the preparations for 
the sixth General Conference will soon be finalized. 
 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida highlight news about the Palestinian 
factions' talks in Cairo.  Citing a DBA report, Al-Ayyam writes that 
the Hamas leader, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, denied in an interview with the 
Egyptian daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi on August 25 that the Hamas leader 
Khaled Mish'al had arrived in Cairo to discuss Egyptian efforts to 
launch the Palestinian national dialogue. Al-Zahar asserted that it 
was the Islamic Jihad movement that had arrived, not Mish'al. 
Al-Zahar confirmed that the chances of the national dialogue 
succeeding were "difficult" due to the "American veto on 
reconciliation."  In addition, he rejected the notion of allowing 
Arab forces to enter the Gaza Strip.  In related coverage in 
Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida cited from Reuters, unnamed 
officials said that the new round of Egyptian efforts for 
reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah that was launched on August 
25 will not be able to achieve reconciliation. One of the officials 
said that Egypt is not satisfied with Hamas because the latter is 
hindering the talks with their insistence on conditions for a 
prisoner exchange deal with Israeli that would include the captive 
Israeli soldier, Shalit. 
 
Al-Ayyam cites DBA that Islamic Jihad confirmed on August 25 in 
Cairo that it is committed to the Hamas-Israel truce in the Gaza 
Strip despite Israel's "lack of commitment." 
 
 
------------ 
BLOCK QUOTES: 
------------ 
¶1. Under the headline "Congratulations on the Prisoners' Release, 
What's next..!" (8/26), Independent Al-Quds opined in its main 
editorial: "This is a first step, and Israel should consider it as 
such, towards the comprehensive release of thousands of Palestinian 
prisoners crowding Israeli jails and detentions camps, most of whom 
 
JERUSALEM 00001562  002 OF 002 
 
 
have been thrown there without undergoing a fair trial or through 
administrative detention orders or due to confidential evidence that 
was never revealed.  In any case, the release of ALL the prisoners, 
without categorizing or classifying them or applying irrational and 
illegal standards, is a national Palestinian demand that should have 
been accomplished a long time ago, despite the objections of the 
extremists in Israeli society ... Everybody realizes by observing 
the experiences of global liberation movements that the release of 
prisoners is the first step in any peace agreement, whether 
transitional or permanent, because only through this can evidence of 
good intentions and complete seriousness be illustrated ... The 
international community and its legal and humanitarian institutions 
have an obligation to close the [prisoners] file and do away with 
all its negative and frustrating implications for the Palestinians 
and the peace process in general." 
 
¶2.  Independent Al-Ayyam runs a daily editorial by Hani Al-Masri 
entitled, "Regarding the Idea of Bringing Arab Forces into the Gaza 
Strip" (8/26): "... [T]he danger of getting assistance from Arab 
forces, even in the Gaza Strip, is that firstly, it requires 
approval from Israel because in order for this idea to take place, 
the items of the 1979 agreement between Israel and Egypt must be 
reviewed, especially the items regarding the demilitarized areas. 
Secondly, this idea affects the temporary crossing agreement from 
¶2005.  This agreement stipulates Israeli approval on any procedures, 
moves, or transportation taking place at the Israeli-Palestinian 
crossings and borders." 
 
WALLES